Category Archives: Culture

Christians are to be counter-cultural…

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If we are born-again by the grace of God, with a sure hope of heaven and eternity, what should we do and be in this world?

Dr. John R. W. Stott observes in his fine book on the Sermon on the Mount:

“For the essential theme of the whole Bible from beginning to end is that God’s historical purpose is to call out a people for himself; that this people is a ‘holy’ people, set apart from the world to belong to him and to obey him; and that its vocation is to be true to its identity, that is, to be ‘holy’ or ‘different’ in all its outlook and behavior.” [page 17]

“…the followers of Jesus are to be different — different from both the nominal church and the secular world, different from both the religious and the irreligious. The Sermon on the Mount is the most compete delineation anywhere in the New Testament of the Christian counter-culture. Here is a Christian value-system, ethical standard, religious devotion, attitude to money, ambition, life-style and network of relationships — all of which are totally at variance with those of the non-Christian world. And this Christian counter-culture is the life of the kingdom of God, a fully human life indeed but lived out under the divine rule.” {p. 19]

Happy Presidents’ Day!

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Hopefully you do know that today, the third Monday in February, is “Presidents’ Day.” It celebrates the birthdays of two of the greatest Presidents: George Washington (born Feb. 22, 1732), and Abraham Lincoln (born Feb. 12, 1809).

Although our current Presidents’ Day aims to honor only Washington and Lincoln (as it should), it just so happens that two other Presidents were also born in this month: William Henry Harrison (Feb. 9, 1773), and, the great Ronald W. Reagan (Feb. 6, 1911). My birthday is also in February, on the 29th (yes, I was born in a leap year, 1960). The current President, Barack H. Obama, is actually younger than I am, born on August 4, 1961. Hmm….

OTHER PRESIDENTIAL BIRTHDAYS? October has the the most presidential birthdays (six, including three of my favorites, John Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, & Theodore Roosevelt); and, the second most popular month for presidential birthdays is November with five. There is a tie between June and September for having the least presidential birthdays (each has one).

Let us pause and give thanks to God for our good and godly leaders. And, let us pray for our current President, as we are exhorted to do in the New Testament —

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
–1 Timothy 2

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